“This time, he deserved a REAL happily ever before.”
When we adopt a dog, we agree to keep them as part of our family for the rest of their life. However, does that promise include making the right choices for them or keeping them by our side through good and terrible times? Usually, these are not interchangeable.
When he was two years old, Roland, then known as Shorty, was up for adoption at the Montgomery County Animal Shelter in Conroe, Texas. A squat, overweight dog wearing a blue bandana and smiling is shown in his intake photo. Although a tad heavy for someone his size, Shorty’s weight of 40 pounds was not harmful. A lot of potential adopters were alerted when the picture was posted on social media in March 2019, the day after he was taken into the shelter.
Three days later, he was already out of the shelter kennel and in his new house. Although life is complex, we’d want to believe that everything will be perfect at that moment. He went through that with his family when things were tough for them. A devoted dog would want to be at his human’s side when times are bad, but it may not be the best place for them.
After his adoption in March 2019, until his reemergence at MCAS a year and a half later, nothing is known about Roland’s life. In November 2020, Roland’s adoptive parents revealed that they had lost their homes and were now living in their car. They didn’t have much money, so they couldn’t afford to feed their dog. They had to choose between giving their dog up and seeing him dwindle away or giving him up and never seeing him again. By the time they decided, Roland was in horrible health.
He was not the same dog, there was no way. The adorable face and big eyes were the same, but the pitiful puppy the shelter staff saw was little more than skin and bones. Roland was immobile and couldn’t even lift his head. It had taken a lot of effort for the poor kid to get here. He need immediate one-on-one care.
Roland was rescued from MCAS by Jamie’s Animal Rescue. The organization’s founder, Jamie C., has dedicated her life to helping some of the most challenging situations and has been saving animals since she was 11 years old. She has a contagious passion for each animal she has saved from the shelter. She persists despite her heart breaking for every animal. She frequently picks people with slim survival chances. She is therefore perpetually grieving, although her love and care frequently bring about healing miracles.
At MCAS, Jamie discovered Roland dozing next to him and instantly took him in. She told her followers and friends about a new dog that needed a miracle.Jamie was aware that his former owners had experienced tragedy, but she was baffled as to how they could have done nothing except watch a dog they claimed to love become so frail over such a prolonged period of time.
It would take a lot of patience to cope with Roland. The worst possible bodily condition score was 1 when Jamie arrived. We want to feed a dog who has been malnourished for a long time as much as they want, but Jamie knew that his weak body couldn’t handle too much food too quickly. Roland received the attention he had been wanting for so long from Jamie. She discovered more indications of neglect in addition to his very thin frame.
Just two days later, Roland was on a short trip and was living with a temporary foster family when he accomplished something quite amazing. He’s decided he’s had enough of lying flat, I learned this morning. He got up by himself today, entertained the guests by walking 20 steps, then chose to walk another 20 steps. He was exhausted after that and decided to just wait for his snacks in the cabinet.
His little movements made it clear that he has a wonderful personality and a passion for eating. He had been assigned to a His little movements made it clear that he has a wonderful personality and a passion for eating. He was placed in a foster family at the end of November. He had put on 35 pounds in less than 30 days after giving up. He no longer has the ribs that used to stick out from his sides, and he has a thick layer of fat on his hips.
Roland, who only a few weeks prior was unable to elevate his head without assistance, now enjoys playing tug-of-war and taking walks around the neighborhood with his foster family. Roland’s development has been nothing short of amazing, and despite the abuse he has experienced, his loving nature has remained unflappable. Now that he has reached a healthy weight, Roland wants to locate a long-term family member.
